← New search

2011 Volkswagen Routan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Routan years

Owner complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Routan are substantially higher than the model-year median of 63.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Routan years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

147 reports with mileage · 28 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

17 reports
Clear category filter
61,800 miles · May 30, 2017
Power TrainUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

THE MINIVAN SUDDENLY GAVE AWAY ON THE TRANSMISSION. AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 70MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN "D" (AUTO TRANSMISSION VS MANUAL) BUT THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ENGINE. GIVING MORE GAS THE ENGINE WAS JUST REVVING UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOVED IT TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE AND STILL THE ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT…

Read full complaint

THE MINIVAN SUDDENLY GAVE AWAY ON THE TRANSMISSION. AT SPEEDS OF AROUND 70MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN "D" (AUTO TRANSMISSION VS MANUAL) BUT THERE WAS NO ENGAGEMENT FROM THE ENGINE. GIVING MORE GAS THE ENGINE WAS JUST REVVING UP AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. MOVED IT TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE AND STILL THE ENGINE REVVED UP WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT. HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES, TRIED AGAIN AND THEN THE CAR SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 5000RPM OR SO AS IF IT WAS IN THE 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. IT THEN RE-ADJUSTED ITSELF AND STARTED PICKING UP SPEED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE ASAP SINCE THIS HAPPENED DURING PEAK TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY WHEN TRYING TO OVERTAKE A TRUCK WITH THE VAN FULL OF PASSENGERS.

NHTSA ODI #10992287

115,000 miles · May 19, 2017
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

THE VAN WAS MY MOTHERS WHICH SHE PASSED AWAY ABOUT YEAR AGO. I INHERITED THE VAN I DRIVE IT FOR COUPLE MONTHS WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD TRY TO START IT THAT IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD ONLY MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. I WOULD TURN KEY OFF & TRY IT AGAIN IT WOULD START. THEN IN MONTH OR SO I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOU…

Read full complaint

THE VAN WAS MY MOTHERS WHICH SHE PASSED AWAY ABOUT YEAR AGO. I INHERITED THE VAN I DRIVE IT FOR COUPLE MONTHS WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD TRY TO START IT THAT IT WOULDN'T START. IT WOULD ONLY MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. I WOULD TURN KEY OFF & TRY IT AGAIN IT WOULD START. THEN IN MONTH OR SO I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD BE DRIVING 55-70 MPH THAT IT WOULD LIKE STALL. IT WOULDN'T SHIFT DOWN OR ACCELERATE. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER & RESTART IT. IT BEGAN DOING THAT QUITE OFTEN UNTIL ONE NIGHT I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & WENT TO TURN IN SOMEWHERE WHEN IT DIED & WOULDN'T START BACK. MY HUSBAND HAD TO COME PULL ME HOME. WE HAVE RESEARCHED WHAT IT WAS DOING & A LOT OF PEOPLE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. THEY CLAIM IT'S A $1200 TPIM BOARD. THE VW ROUTAN IS CHRYSLER MADE UNDER THE HOOD. CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM & HAS ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL BUT VW SAID THEY WASN'T GOING TO RECALL IT. THEY ARE AWARE OF IT TOO. I FEEL AS IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT IF THIS ISN'T ADDRESSED BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 70MPH & IT JUST DIES WHICH MEAN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY POWER STEERING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I HAVE KIDS & I WOULD'VE HATED FOR US TO BE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THAT HAPPENED. LUCKILY I WAS IN TOWN & NO KIDS WAS WITH ME. THANK YOU!!

NHTSA ODI #10990604

45,126 miles · Dec 21, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

INTEGRATED BODY CONTROL/ECU:TIPM MODULE MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ODI #10936830

52,000 miles · Sep 21, 2016
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

CAR WONT START, ONLY SOMETIMES. JUST TURNS OVER REPEATEDLY, UNTIL YOU TURN THE KEY OFF. SOMETIMES NOTHING HAPPENS. SOMETIMES IT STARTS NORMALLY. ONCE IT STALLED. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS ON THE FIRST START, BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MATTER.

NHTSA ODI #10908605

74,000 miles · Aug 23, 2016
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO WITH CAR NOT STARTING. WOULD TURN OVER BUT NEVER CRANK UP/START. LOCAL VW DEALER SAID ISSUE WAS FUEL PUMP AND REPLACED. SYMPTOMS CONTINUED WITH LONGER THAN NORMAL CRANKING BEFORE STARTING. SOMETIMES VEHICLE ACTS LIKE THE BATTERY IS DEAD AND WILL "CLICK" UNTIL AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS IT WILL …

Read full complaint

PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO WITH CAR NOT STARTING. WOULD TURN OVER BUT NEVER CRANK UP/START. LOCAL VW DEALER SAID ISSUE WAS FUEL PUMP AND REPLACED. SYMPTOMS CONTINUED WITH LONGER THAN NORMAL CRANKING BEFORE STARTING. SOMETIMES VEHICLE ACTS LIKE THE BATTERY IS DEAD AND WILL "CLICK" UNTIL AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS IT WILL FINALLY TURN OVER AND START. CERTAIN TIMES AFTER HAVING VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND PLACING INTO DRIVE IT JUST DIES, HAVE TO PLACE IN PARK AND RESTART. WHILE SLOWING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE HAS HESITATED AS IF TO DIE, BUT THANKFULLY IT HAS CONTINUED. WHILE SLOWING FOR A STOP, TRANSMISSION MISS SHIFTED INTO 1ST AND MADE A LOUD BANG. SINCE THEN AT SLOW SPEEDS IF YOU LIFTING OFF THE GAS THE TRANSMISSION MAKES LOUD NOISES. ALL OF THESE ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 TWICE AND I AM AWAITING CONTACT VIA THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 3 VISIT IN 4 WEEKS. SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE, I HAVE INSTALLED 3 BATTERIES IN THIS VEHICLE. WE HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THIS VEHICLE, AND FIND OURSELVES HOPING NOTHING SERIOUS HAPPENS IF IT DIES WHILE TRAVELING. THIS INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUE WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED IS A CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10898013

77,000 miles · May 9, 2016
Unknown Or Other

TAKATA RECALL.I BOUGHT A VW ROUTAN IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WITH 77,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK I HAD IT I WENT OUT TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED. NEXT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW ITS GOTTEN SO BAD IT TAKES 20 TRYS BEFORE IT STARTS. NOW MY TRANS. IS JERKING WHEN I PUT IT N GEAR.IM TA…

Read full complaint

TAKATA RECALL.I BOUGHT A VW ROUTAN IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR WITH 77,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK I HAD IT I WENT OUT TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED. NEXT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW ITS GOTTEN SO BAD IT TAKES 20 TRYS BEFORE IT STARTS. NOW MY TRANS. IS JERKING WHEN I PUT IT N GEAR.IM TAKING IT IN TOMORROW SO I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

NHTSA ODI #10863993

65,000 miles · Feb 16, 2016
Unknown Or Other

MULTIPLE INSTANCES. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL RESTART AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. I HAD A SEMI TO THE RIGHT AND ANOTHER SEMI BEHIND ME WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. VERY SCARY! I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY C…

Read full complaint

MULTIPLE INSTANCES. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL RESTART AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. I HAD A SEMI TO THE RIGHT AND ANOTHER SEMI BEHIND ME WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. VERY SCARY! I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY COULD NOT GET THE PROBLEM TO REPEAT. NO REPAIR WAS MADE. THIS PROBLEM RECURS EVERY 6-10 DAYS. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH 65,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #10836522

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.